a survey of 800 obama voters split right down the metal on the political ppll on how they want obama to cut the deficit. 41 percent responded in far of spending cuts. 41 percent of respondents saying they favor tax increases. the white house says it will offer a counteroposal to house speaker proposal. saying that unless he ccepts tax increases on the rich the president is willing to go over the cliff. let's get straight to the politics of these developments and the rhetoric and possible economic impact of failureto resolve the issues. joining as, former spia assistant to president george w. bush, a veteran political consultant and republican pollster. let's tart, if i may, with you. do you think both sides right now are seriously ready to go over the cliff? >> i think the preside i very ready because they arereading into this election last month a mandate that i simply don't see. the president got 15 million americans to vote against him which fail to produce any type of meaningful budget in his democratic controlled snate. we are at the disco club because of the president's inabili